I am Pratha Basnet, a 23 years young thrift store entrepreneur. I started my thrift store from scratch, online first, then in an empty rented room in Kathmandu which has been expanded to one and a half floor in the span of a year. The idea of starting it brewed up in my mind two years ago during the lockdown phase where I had ample leisure time at hand. When I started, there was no expectation of seeing my attempt grow this big as a business.
There was a kind of distrust in my family in the beginning that my startup would amount to anything worthwhile. Since I was very new to this field of trade, that too through social media, I also had no idea I would be met by so many criticisms, bitter words and a public to whom relaying the idea of thrifting would be hard. That often caused me to be demotivated but never hopeless. With enough support and encouragement from my family and friends, I gradually discovered my own community of thrift-lovers with whom I transact on a regular basis now.
Although my interest in fashion and dress-ups was the main reason why I decided on this journey, it has now become purposive in a sense that it gives me the assurance that my work is contributing in disposing the textile-apparel wastes the best way. For my college assignment as a law student, I did a paper on solid waste management. It gave me an insight into how we can play important roles in upcycling the wastes in our environment to make it healthy. Now, I have a goal of expanding my entrepreneurship to include management of all kinds of wastes, be it used clothes, used furniture, used glasses and more. In short, I want to help this environment breathe. We shall be thriving via thrifting.